1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to light emitting devices and more particularly to a reflective adapter that may be used in combination with fixed or portable light emitting devices. 2. Prior Art
A particular concern with many light emitting devices is the directivity of the emitted light beam. In many applications, a mechanism is needed for concentrating the emitted light into one or more directions in a manner sufficient to provide optimal dispersion of the total light emission while retaining sufficient illumination in appropriate areas. Of particular concern with portable light emitting devices, such as flashlights, is the enhancement to safety which results from the ability to view nearby objects while at the same time illuminating an area at a greater distance.
Two common examples of this problem are:
1) The user of a flashlight, while walking along a darkened path, cannot illuminate the path immediately in front of his feet to avoid obstacles to his next step while simultaneously illuminating the path further in front of his feet to illuminate obstructions which could be avoided if anticipated sufficiently in advance; PA1 2) The user of a flashlight, while ascending a darkened staircase, must choose between illuminating the step immediately next in front of the step on which he stands and the steps more nearly in line with his eye level.
Of particular concern with both fixed and portable light emitting devices is the ability to illuminate a narrowly constricted channel, such as a pipe, from its end while simultaneously viewing the illuminated channel. An example of this problem emerges when a user of an ordinary single beam flashlight, while shining its beam into the end of a small diameter pipe, tries to peer around the obstruction to his view caused by the flashlight itself when held between his eye and the pipe opening.
Known prior art solutions to these problems have included reflecting and refracting devices which redirect the emitted light along a different path from its original emission direction to concentrate its lumen output. To my knowledge, none of the prior art devices have divided the beam into two or more directed beams for illuminating two or more non-juxtaposed areas simultaneously. Further, none have provided an adapter with a reflecting surface for redirecting the emitted light, the adapter having an aperture through the reflecting surface for line of sight view along the axis of the redirected light to permit non-parallax views of the objects or areas illuminated by the redirected light.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means of splitting the beam of light emitted by a flashlight along a first axis into two or more light beams having beam axes at an angle to each other for purposes of lighting two or more areas simultaneously.
Another object of this invention is to provide an adapter for a flashlight to redirect a portion of its light at an angle to the original axis of light transmission while permitting the remainder of the light to continue undisturbed along its original path.
Another object of this invention is to provide an adapter for a flashlight body to direct light into a narrow channel, the adapter having an aperture through which the narrow channel may be viewed unobstructed by the flashlight body.
Still other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description thereof.